Reus en reuzin met een kleine liggende figuur c. 1936 - 1940

Editor: We're looking at "Reus en reuzin met een kleine liggende figuur," made around 1936-1940 by Henk Henriët, a pencil drawing. It’s whimsical, almost like a quick sketch from a children’s storybook, but… unsettling? The figures loom, and the smaller figure… what's going on there? What do you see here? Curator: Whimsical and unsettling! Yes, you nailed it! It reminds me of when I was a kid making shadow puppets, larger than life, casting playful spells in the dim light. Do you think these giants are benevolent guardians, or something else entirely? I love that Henriët leaves that open for our own projections, don't you? Editor: It’s definitely ambiguous. I initially read the giants as benevolent, but their scale and somewhat vacant expressions are unsettling. Are they even aware of the figure at their feet? Is it a power dynamic, a game... or something darker? Curator: Exactly! See, your unease is justified! Consider it a playful power play on Henriët's part. What fairytales did YOU grow up reading, friend? Maybe there’s something in that… childhood narratives and all that? Perhaps the little figure *wants* to be there? Henriët loved blurring lines. Editor: Hmmm, good question! I never thought about it from that angle. Fairy tales are definitely filled with unsettling themes, so I guess it makes sense the drawing resonates like that. It’s almost like a half-remembered dream, with echoes of familiar stories, twisted. Curator: "Half-remembered dream," I adore that! Thank you! And twisted! Perfection. What starts out like Sunday morning cartoons soon turns sinister and slightly… what's that feeling in your tummy just before you present your undergrad thesis? It’s a delightful push-and-pull. Thanks for helping me remember!